Rosuvastatin alters the genetic composition of the human gut microbiome.

The gut microbiome contributes to the variation of blood lipid levels, and secondary bile acids are associated with the effect of statins. Yet, our knowledge of how statins, one of our most common drug groups, affect the human microbiome is scarce. We aimed to characterize the effect of rosuvastatin on gut microbiome composition and inferred genetic content in stool samples from a randomized controlled trial (n = 66).

Intra-aortic balloon pump in acute chest pain and cardiogenic shock - a long-term follow-up.

Coronary revascularisation and intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) has been considered the gold standard treatment of acute coronary syndrome with cardiogenic shock, recently challenged by the SHOCK II study. The aim of this non-randomised study was to investigate the long term prognosis after immediate IABP supported angiography, in patients with acute chest pain and cardiogenic shock, treated with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), cardiac surgery or optimal medical treatment. We assessed data from 281 consecutive patients admitted to our department from 2004 to 2010.

Index of microvascular resistance to assess the effect of rosuvastatin on microvascular function in women with chest pain and no obstructive coronary artery disease: A double-blind randomized study.

Introduction: Many women undergoing coronary angiography for chest pain have no or only minimal coronary artery disease (CAD). However, despite the lack of obstructive CAD, they still have an increased risk of major adverse cardiovascular events. Pleiotropic effects of statins may influence microvascular function, but if statins improve microvascular function in unselected chest pain patients is not well studied.

Coronary computed tomography in heart transplant patients: detection of significant stenosis and cardiac allograft vasculopathy, image quality, and radiation dose.

Background Cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV) is an accelerated form of atherosclerosis unique to heart transplant (HTX) patients. Purpose To investigate the detection of significant coronary artery stenosis and CAV, determinants of image quality, and the radiation dose in coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) of HTX patients with 64-slice multidetector CT (64-MDCT). Material and Methods Fifty-two HTX recipients scheduled for invasive coronary angiography (ICA) were prospectively enrolled and underwent CCTA before ICA with intravascular ultrasound (IVUS).

Index of microvascular resistance after early conversion from calcineurin inhibitor to everolimus in heart transplantation: A sub-study to a 1-year randomized trial.

Background: Microvascular function in transplanted hearts can be evaluated by methods used in routine left heart catheterization follow-up after heart transplantation (HTx). This sub-study of a randomized study compared the effects of everolimus (EVR) and calcineurin inhibitor (CNI) treatment on microvascular function as expressed by the index of microvascular resistance (IMR) at 1 year after HTx. A secondary objective was to compare the change in IMR from 7-11 weeks to 1 year after HTx between randomized groups.

Comparison of simplified and comprehensive methods for assessing the index of microvascular resistance in heart transplant recipients.

Objectives: The objectives of the present study were to compare a simplified and a comprehensive method of estimating the index of microvascular resistance (IMR) and assess the changes from 7-11 weeks to 1 year after heart transplant (HTx).

Background: he IMR is specific to the microvasculature and reflects the status of the microcirculation in cardiac patients and can be estimated via a simplified method (IMR(s)) or a comprehensive method (IMR(c)). The calculation for the latter includes coronary wedge pressure and central venous pressure.

Echocardiographic evidence of right ventricular functional improvement after balloon pulmonary angioplasty in chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension.

Background: Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) induces right ventricular (RV) adaptive changes but often results in RV failure and death. Balloon pulmonary angioplasty (BPA) is a treatment option in patients in whom pulmonary endarterectomy is contraindicated and in patients with residual pulmonary hypertension after pulmonary endarterectomy. We hypothesized that RV reverse remodeling and improved RV function would occur after BPA in patients with CTEPH.

Reference interval for the index of coronary microvascular resistance.

Aims: The index of microvascular resistance (IMR) is a relatively new tool that is used to assess microvascular function during routinely performed left heart catheterisations. In order to establish a reference interval for IMR, we investigated a subset of arrhythmia patients with structurally normal hearts and no or minimal coronary artery disease.

Methods And Results: Physiological variables, including IMR, were measured in 20 otherwise healthy patients aged 40-60 years (10 males and 10 females) who had been referred for electrophysiological evaluation of suspected atrioventricular nodal re-entry tachycardia.

Balloon pulmonary angioplasty in patients with inoperable chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension.

Objective: To examine the effect of balloon pulmonary angioplasty (BPA) on chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) in patients with inoperable disease or persistent pulmonary hypertension after pulmonary endarterectomy.

Design: Observational cohort study.

Setting: Referred patients with inoperable or persistent CTEPH.

The tumour necrosis factor superfamily ligand APRIL (TNFSF13) is released upon platelet activation and expressed in atherosclerosis.

Activated platelets release a wide range of inflammatory mediators, including members of the tumour necrosis factor (TNF) superfamily (e.g. CD40 ligand [CD40L] and LIGHT).

Mechanisms of preejection and postejection velocity spikes in left ventricular myocardium: interaction between wall deformation and valve events.

Background: Normal left ventricular myocardium demonstrates distinct spikes in the velocity trace before and after left ventricular ejection. We tested the hypothesis that the preejection and postejection velocity spikes reflect early systolic shortening and late systolic lengthening that are interrupted by mitral and aortic valve closure, respectively.

Methods And Results: In 11 anesthetized dogs, timing of valve closure was determined by pressure variables; left ventricular dimensions were determined by sonomicrometry.

Intracoronary injection of mononuclear bone marrow cells in acute myocardial infarction.

Background: Previous studies have shown improvement in left ventricular function after intracoronary injection of autologous cells derived from bone marrow (BMC) in the acute phase of myocardial infarction. We designed a randomized, controlled trial to further investigate the effects of this treatment.

Methods: Patients with acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction of the anterior wall treated with percutaneous coronary intervention were randomly assigned to the group that underwent intracoronary injection of autologous mononuclear BMC or to the control group, in which neither aspiration nor sham injection was performed.

Standardized angiographically guided over-dilatation of stents using high pressure technique optimize results without increasing risks.

Background: Routine angio-guided stent deployment results in a relatively high restenosis rate, which is mostly due to stent sub-expansion. Several different intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) criteria for optimal stent deployment have been proposed. A minimal in-stent restenosis and a minimal in-stent lumen area of > or = 9 mm2 have been associated with low rates of restenosis and target lesion revascularization (TLR) at 6 months.